Local reporter takes an intro flight

[Tony Cox]

"I haven't even told you about the plane yet. It's a four-seat,
single-engine Cessna 172, which was also my blood
pressure when I spotted it in the field behind West Air.
This $80,000 Costco shopping cart with wings was
undoubtedly chosen for this mission because it's the
fleet's most expendable."

http://flymaniac.notlong.com

[Marco Leon]

On Feb 21, 3:22 pm, "Tony Cox" > wrote:
> "I haven't even told you about the plane yet. It's a four-seat,
> single-engine Cessna 172, which was also my blood
> pressure when I spotted it in the field behind West Air.
> This $80,000 Costco shopping cart with wings was
> undoubtedly chosen for this mission because it's the
> fleet's most expendable."
>
> http://flymaniac.notlong.com

If those quotes were all true, then this Bonaventura guy is one hell
of a jerk. If he knew the student was a reporter and going to write
about the experience, then he's either supremely clueless or downright
hostile towards the industry. My bet is on the former.

So many things wrong, on so many different levels.

Marco

[Chris]

Excellent and I love the quote - pretty accurate.
"Tony Cox" > wrote in message
oups.com...
> "I haven't even told you about the plane yet. It's a four-seat,
> single-engine Cessna 172, which was also my blood
> pressure when I spotted it in the field behind West Air.
> This $80,000 Costco shopping cart with wings was
> undoubtedly chosen for this mission because it's the
> fleet's most expendable."
>
> http://flymaniac.notlong.com
>

[Gig 601XL Builder]

Tony Cox wrote:
> "I haven't even told you about the plane yet. It's a four-seat,
> single-engine Cessna 172, which was also my blood
> pressure when I spotted it in the field behind West Air.
> This $80,000 Costco shopping cart with wings was
> undoubtedly chosen for this mission because it's the
> fleet's most expendable."
>
> http://flymaniac.notlong.com

Sounds like a feature writer who thinks he is being funny and an instructor
who needs to take some classes in media relations.

[C J Campbell]

On Wed, 21 Feb 2007 12:22:54 -0800, Tony Cox wrote
(in article . com>):

> http://flymaniac.notlong.com

Ah, I thought it was funny. He obviously enjoyed himself, hamming it up that
way. :-)

--
Waddling Eagle
World Famous Flight Instructor

[Chris]

"Gig 601XL Builder" <wrDOTgiaconaATsuddenlink.net> wrote in message
...
> Tony Cox wrote:
>> "I haven't even told you about the plane yet. It's a four-seat,
>> single-engine Cessna 172, which was also my blood
>> pressure when I spotted it in the field behind West Air.
>> This $80,000 Costco shopping cart with wings was
>> undoubtedly chosen for this mission because it's the
>> fleet's most expendable."
>>
>> http://flymaniac.notlong.com
>
> Sounds like a feature writer who thinks he is being funny and an
> instructor who needs to take some classes in media relations.
For goodness sake, lighten up.
If you looked at the other adventures of the reporter you can see the style.

[BT]

Everyone needs to understand this article... this reporters challenge is to
do other "jobs" in the community and then screw it up and write a funny
article about it. I thought it did no service to further aviation.

If that CFI had worked for me and really acted that way... he would no
longer work for me.

BT (I fly at West Air)

"Tony Cox" > wrote in message
oups.com...
> "I haven't even told you about the plane yet. It's a four-seat,
> single-engine Cessna 172, which was also my blood
> pressure when I spotted it in the field behind West Air.
> This $80,000 Costco shopping cart with wings was
> undoubtedly chosen for this mission because it's the
> fleet's most expendable."
>
> http://flymaniac.notlong.com
>

[Peter Dohm]

> Everyone needs to understand this article... this reporters challenge is
to
> do other "jobs" in the community and then screw it up and write a funny
> article about it. I thought it did no service to further aviation.
>
> If that CFI had worked for me and really acted that way... he would no
> longer work for me.
>
> BT (I fly at West Air)
>
It was funny, and I took a look at some of his other articles as well. The
airplane pilot ride was pretty mild in that context. :-)

Peter

[Gig 601XL Builder]

Chris wrote:
> "Gig 601XL Builder" <wrDOTgiaconaATsuddenlink.net> wrote in message
> ...
>> Tony Cox wrote:
>>> "I haven't even told you about the plane yet. It's a four-seat,
>>> single-engine Cessna 172, which was also my blood
>>> pressure when I spotted it in the field behind West Air.
>>> This $80,000 Costco shopping cart with wings was
>>> undoubtedly chosen for this mission because it's the
>>> fleet's most expendable."
>>>
>>> http://flymaniac.notlong.com
>>
>> Sounds like a feature writer who thinks he is being funny and an
>> instructor who needs to take some classes in media relations.
> For goodness sake, lighten up.
> If you looked at the other adventures of the reporter you can see the
> style.

I did and I was exactly right about the writer and the only thing I blame
him for is that he thinks he is funny.

As for the instructor, who had better access to the guys previous articles
than I did he, should have known better than to give the guy ammo. This
article did not help GA and it certainly isn't going to get the instructor
or his school any additional serious students.

[C J Campbell]

On Wed, 21 Feb 2007 16:45:22 -0800, BT wrote
(in article >):

> Everyone needs to understand this article... this reporters challenge is to
> do other "jobs" in the community and then screw it up and write a funny
> article about it. I thought it did no service to further aviation.
>
> If that CFI had worked for me and really acted that way... he would no
> longer work for me.
>
> BT (I fly at West Air)

Highly doubtful the CFI acted that way. This reporter threw every old joke he
could find into the article.

No, it was not a service to aviation, nor was it intended to be. It is a
joke, a humor piece, and should be seen in that light.


--
Waddling Eagle
World Famous Flight Instructor

[Kingfish]

On Feb 22, 11:22 am, C J Campbell
> wrote:
> Highly doubtful the CFI acted that way. This reporter threw every old joke he
> could find into the article.
>
> No, it was not a service to aviation, nor was it intended to be. It is a
> joke, a humor piece, and should be seen in that light.

I get the humor, but you're right - it didn't do any service to GA.
Who knows if any of those quotes attributed to the CFI were even said?
I'd hope that even a dopey 22 year old kid would have more sense than
to say those things to a writer looking for story material.

Saying that "Cessnas were the small planes that carried R&B singer
Aaliyah, New York Yankees captain Thurman Munson and boxing champ
Rocky Marciano to their fiery deaths" is needless sensationalism,
never mind he was comparing a 172 to a 402 and Citation jet. Never let
the facts get in the way of a good story, right? Ugh.

[Gig 601XL Builder]

C J Campbell wrote:
> On Wed, 21 Feb 2007 16:45:22 -0800, BT wrote
> (in article >):
>
>> Everyone needs to understand this article... this reporters
>> challenge is to do other "jobs" in the community and then screw it
>> up and write a funny article about it. I thought it did no service
>> to further aviation.
>>
>> If that CFI had worked for me and really acted that way... he would
>> no longer work for me.
>>
>> BT (I fly at West Air)
>
> Highly doubtful the CFI acted that way. This reporter threw every old
> joke he could find into the article.
>
> No, it was not a service to aviation, nor was it intended to be. It
> is a joke, a humor piece, and should be seen in that light.

Well if the feture writer lied or embelihed quotes or actions of the CFI he
should be terminated at once and the paper should print a retraction.

[Mxsmanic]

Gig 601XL Builder writes:

> I did and I was exactly right about the writer and the only thing I blame
> him for is that he thinks he is funny.

I didn't see anything funny about the article. Plus it paints aviation in a
bad light. But even if it didn't, it wasn't entertaining at all (I didn't
realize it was supposed to be funny, in fact--I just thought the reporter
suffered from hysteria).

--
Transpose mxsmanic and gmail to reach me by e-mail.

[Mortimer Schnerd, RN[_2_]]

Gig 601XL Builder wrote:
>> Highly doubtful the CFI acted that way. This reporter threw every old
>> joke he could find into the article.
>>
>> No, it was not a service to aviation, nor was it intended to be. It
>> is a joke, a humor piece, and should be seen in that light.
>
> Well if the feture writer lied or embelihed quotes or actions of the CFI he
> should be terminated at once and the paper should print a retraction.


I found myself offended at the hatchet job done to GA in the written article but
relaxed as I watched the accompanying video. The thing would have been right at
home on the Man Show. The author obviously didn't expect anybody to take him
seriously.

Time for a beer....



--
Mortimer Schnerd, RN
mschnerdatcarolina.rr.com

[Kingfish]

On Feb 22, 3:51 pm, "Mortimer Schnerd, RN" <mschnerdatcarolina.rr.com>
wrote:
>
> Time for a beer....
>

The weekend's coming - why stop at one? Ramming speed!!

[NW_Pilot]

"Marco Leon" > wrote in message
oups.com...
> On Feb 21, 3:22 pm, "Tony Cox" > wrote:
>> "I haven't even told you about the plane yet. It's a four-seat,
>> single-engine Cessna 172, which was also my blood
>> pressure when I spotted it in the field behind West Air.
>> This $80,000 Costco shopping cart with wings was
>> undoubtedly chosen for this mission because it's the
>> fleet's most expendable."
>>
>> http://flymaniac.notlong.com
>
> If those quotes were all true, then this Bonaventura guy is one hell
> of a jerk. If he knew the student was a reporter and going to write
> about the experience, then he's either supremely clueless or downright
> hostile towards the industry. My bet is on the former.
>
> So many things wrong, on so many different levels.
>
> Marco
>

Why in the world are they wearing EPAULETS ????

[BT]

>>
>
> Why in the world are they wearing EPAULETS ????
>

It is the flight school uniform for the instructors.. but students do not
where uniforms.

More of the joke of the article.. you have to know the reporter.

BT

[Orval Fairbairn]

In article >,
"BT" > wrote:

> >>
> >
> > Why in the world are they wearing EPAULETS ????
> >
>
> It is the flight school uniform for the instructors.. but students do not
> where uniforms.
>
> More of the joke of the article.. you have to know the reporter.
>
> BT

What do the epaulets on flight school uniforms mean?

The epaulets (and the uniforms) mean that the school is pretentious.

[Mike Young]

"Orval Fairbairn" > wrote in message
...
> In article >,
> "BT" > wrote:
>
>> >>
>> >
>> > Why in the world are they wearing EPAULETS ????
>> >
>>
>> It is the flight school uniform for the instructors.. but students do not
>> where uniforms.
>>
>> More of the joke of the article.. you have to know the reporter.
>>
>> BT
>
> What do the epaulets on flight school uniforms mean?
>
> The epaulets (and the uniforms) mean that the school is pretentious.

Isn't it obvious? It's a paramilitary organization with proud traditions.

[Mxsmanic]

Orval Fairbairn writes:

> What do the epaulets on flight school uniforms mean?
>
> The epaulets (and the uniforms) mean that the school is pretentious.

The same could be said for all of the pseudo-military uniforms that one sees
in civilian aviation.

--
Transpose mxsmanic and gmail to reach me by e-mail.

[Morgans[_2_]]

"Not as Arrogant as Mxsmanic" > wrote

> The same could be said about people who admit they are afraid to fly
> telling pilots they know more about aviation.
>
> --
> Transpose '****' with 'brain' to know everything there is to know about
> MXMORON
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
You may think you are helping with the MX problem, but now, you are nearly
the last one replying to his messages.

Nearly everyone else is working at cutting off his thunder, by not
responding. Why don't you give that a try, for a while?

He might get tired of being ignored and go away.

Everyone (or everyone that has a brain) knows he is a moron. They don't
need your responses to tell them that. Let him fade away ...Please.

[BT]

Chief Pilot (most stripes)
MEI
CFII
CFI (least stripes)

Uniforms present a professional appearance to the public, and also work with
the CFIs preparing for moving on towards an airline career.

BT

"Orval Fairbairn" > wrote in message
...
> In article >,
> "BT" > wrote:
>
>> >>
>> >
>> > Why in the world are they wearing EPAULETS ????
>> >
>>
>> It is the flight school uniform for the instructors.. but students do not
>> where uniforms.
>>
>> More of the joke of the article.. you have to know the reporter.
>>
>> BT
>
> What do the epaulets on flight school uniforms mean?
>
> The epaulets (and the uniforms) mean that the school is pretentious.

[Sylvain]

BT wrote:
> Uniforms present a professional appearance to the public, and also work
> with the CFIs preparing for moving on towards an airline career.

in other words, the instructors are so eager to dump their students
for an airline job that they can't wait to put on a look-alike
uniform.... not sure this is the best marketting strategy for
a flight school. I know some people really enjoy uniforms and
badges and stripes and ribbons and such, and it might work with
such segment of the population, but I find it somewhat
disingenuous and I don't buy it. You can present a professional
appearance with the right attitude and demeanor (and a minimum
of personal grooming) without pretending to be what you are not.

--Sylvain

[Don Tuite]

On Fri, 23 Feb 2007 17:17:38 -0800, Sylvain > wrote:

>BT wrote:
>> Uniforms present a professional appearance to the public, and also work
>> with the CFIs preparing for moving on towards an airline career.
>
>in other words, the instructors are so eager to dump their students
>for an airline job that they can't wait to put on a look-alike
>uniform.... not sure this is the best marketting strategy for
>a flight school. I know some people really enjoy uniforms and
>badges and stripes and ribbons and such, and it might work with
>such segment of the population, but I find it somewhat
>disingenuous and I don't buy it. You can present a professional
>appearance with the right attitude and demeanor (and a minimum
>of personal grooming) without pretending to be what you are not.
>
Anyway, the point of uniforms is to make the people that wear them
interchangeable, and to impress upon them that they are commodities
and can expect to be treated as such.

Don

[Alan Gerber]

Don Tuite > wrote:
> Anyway, the point of uniforms is to make the people that wear them
> interchangeable, and to impress upon them that they are commodities
> and can expect to be treated as such.

Is that why all high-powered consultants wear suits?

.... Alan
--
Alan Gerber
PP-ASEL
gerber AT panix DOT com

[Don Tuite]

On Sat, 24 Feb 2007 02:50:13 +0000 (UTC), Alan Gerber
> wrote:

>Don Tuite > wrote:
>> Anyway, the point of uniforms is to make the people that wear them
>> interchangeable, and to impress upon them that they are commodities
>> and can expect to be treated as such.
>
>Is that why all high-powered consultants wear suits?
>
They're interchangeable, aren't they?

Ok, you're saying that uniforms also convey mojo, like the
witch-doctor's rattle?

Don

[Philip S.]

in article . com, Tony Cox
at wrote on 2/21/07 12:22 PM:

> "I haven't even told you about the plane yet. It's a four-seat,
> single-engine Cessna 172, which was also my blood
> pressure when I spotted it in the field behind West Air.
> This $80,000 Costco shopping cart with wings was
> undoubtedly chosen for this mission because it's the
> fleet's most expendable."
>
> http://flymaniac.notlong.com
>

I found the article amusing, and I'm a little surprised by some of the
humorless responses to it. The fact is, it mirrors pretty closely my own
reactions on my first few flights (though obviously exaggerated for effect).

You know, for every person who read it and said "Damn right, you'll never
catch me in one of THOSE things", there might have been two people saying
"Sounds like fun--I think I'll sign up for an intro flight".

[Judah]

Sylvain > wrote in
t:

> BT wrote:
>> Uniforms present a professional appearance to the public, and also work
>> with the CFIs preparing for moving on towards an airline career.
>
> in other words, the instructors are so eager to dump their students
> for an airline job that they can't wait to put on a look-alike
> uniform.... not sure this is the best marketting strategy for
> a flight school. I know some people really enjoy uniforms and
> badges and stripes and ribbons and such, and it might work with
> such segment of the population, but I find it somewhat
> disingenuous and I don't buy it. You can present a professional
> appearance with the right attitude and demeanor (and a minimum
> of personal grooming) without pretending to be what you are not.
>
> --Sylvain

So perhaps they should wear McDonald's uniforms instead?

Or is that reaching to high for your tastes as well?

[[email protected]]

On Feb 22, 9:42 pm, Orval Fairbairn > wrote:
> In article >,
>
> "BT" > wrote:
>
> > > Why in the world are they wearing EPAULETS ????
>
> > It is the flight school uniform for the instructors.. but students do not
> > where uniforms.
>
> > More of the joke of the article.. you have to know the reporter.
>
> > BT
>
> What do the epaulets on flight school uniforms mean?
>
> The epaulets (and the uniforms) mean that the school is pretentious.

The last time I rode a cross-country bus, the driver was also wearing
a pilot-like uniform with epaulets. Also sporting a three-day-old 5-
o'clock shadow too, and probably hadn't washed her hair in as many
days either.